1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for transmitting data, and in particular to a system and method for measuring and correcting for audio to video synchronization errors.
2. Description of the Related Art
In presenting media programs such as films and television programs, it is important that the video portion of the program and the audio portion of the program be adequately synchronized. While digital processes have generally improved both the audio and video portions of media programs, such processes have not improved the synchronization of the video and audio portions of such programs. In fact, many such processes have contributed to additional synchronization errors over and above those typically experienced with analog systems. Although each segment of the system can be properly timed, the end-to-end accumulation of synchronization errors remains a difficult problem to control.
While systems have been devised to synchronize video and audio portions of media programs, such systems are either not universally effective, or require substantial modification of existing equipment.
What is needed is a simple, yet effective method and system for synchronizing the video and audio portions of media programs. What is further needed is that this system be backwards compatible and not require substantial modification to existing equipment. The present invention satisfies that need.